Critical reception to the anime has been generally positive due to its delivery of conventional story elements often seen in the Gundam series alongside supernatural parts.

Seventy percent of all human beings have migrated from Earth to other planets of the Solar System and a Dyson sphere, constructed around an artificial Sun.

The world is divided between two superpowers called the Dorssia Military Pact Federation (ドルシア軍事盟約連邦, Dorushia Gunji Meiyaku Renpō) and the Atlantic Ring United States (環大西洋合衆国, Kan Taiseiyō Gasshūkoku) (ARUS), and a neutral nation called JIOR (ジオール, Jiōru), the Japan and Islands of Oceanian Republic, that has prospered economically.

Once they learn that both Dorssia and the ARUS intend to claim the Valvrave for themselves, with no concern for their lives, the students of Sakimori High declare Module 77 an independent state and abandon JIOR territory.

Once Haruto is approached by L-elf Karlstein, a Dorssian spy who claims to have the intentions to one day stage a revolution in his own country, both join forces in an unlikely alliance to secure the sovereignty of their new-found nation declared and officially recognized as New JIOR.

Two months later, after Module 77 successfully arrives at the Moon, New JIOR starts receiving international support, albeit carefully overseen by the ARUS government.

[13][14] Additionally, a manga focused on Valvrave pilot Saki Rukino, Ryūsei no Valkyrie (流星の乙女), written and illustrated by Yutaka Ōhori, was serialized ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Daioh magazine between June 27, 2013,[12][15] and March 26, 2014.

[16][17] A 4-panel manga spin-off by Kanikama, titled Kakumei Club Valvra-bu (革命倶楽部ヴァルヴレイ部) was serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Daioh G magazine between September 27, 2013, and April 28, 2014.

[22][23] A second series, titled Valvrave the Liberator: Undertaker (革命機ヴァルヴレイヴ アンダー・テイカー), began serialization in Dengeki Hobby Magazine's November 2013 issue and ended in March 2014.

The series has been remarked by Anime News Network's Theron Martin for its delivery of conventional story elements, life as seen from the point of view of teenagers, in a way not seen before.

[28] The second season has been noted for its darker episodes with Kestrel Swift from The Fandom Post addressing the multiple character deaths that gave the story a notable impact as well as the main cast going through major development after going through harsh events.

Dan Barnett from UK Anime Network that while the second episode onwards managed due to avoid making Valvrave similar to Gundam SEED as a result of its sci-fi elements, the series was so unpredictable it does not "seem to hold together particularly well as a whole.

[25][28] Moreover, Bamboo Dong from Anime News Network was highly critical to the way the plot explored a sexual assault on a character as if there were not negative implications to such act.

[32] Martin also commented on this and noted that while some viewers might find it intolerable, he praised the staff for not presenting it as a form of fanservice and that the consequences of such problem had yet to be seen.