I'm watching some anime on netflix. Is there a term for when the characters get real emotional they are suddenly animated as cutesy almost childlike versions of themselves? Then they go right back? Here's a clip I just recorded from an albeit terrible show Sekirei
I believe the term you're looking for is Chibi
Chibi (ちび or チビ) is a Japanese slang word meaning "short person" or "small child".
Chibi style is usually used in depicting scenes which are cute and/or humorous, and it is extremely rare for it to be used for an entire anime series. It is quite popular in manga, however.