Currypanman is one of the primary superhero allies of Anpanman, instantly recognizable by his brown, lemon-shaped head, which is a bun filled with hot, spicy yellow curry. His appearance includes red cheeks, and he wears an orange uniform with a lemon-shaped emblem, a white belt, yellow gloves, a yellow cape, and yellow boots. The character's origins vary across different media: in the original manga, he is explicitly created by the baker Uncle Jam, making him Anpanman's younger brother, but the anime series and his character song often state that his origins are unknown.

His personality is a blend of contrasting traits. Currypanman is known for being cocky, proud, and self-confident, displaying a narcissistic streak that is often said to surpass that of his fellow hero Shokupanman. He loves excitement and champions what he calls a spicy way of life, which is full of taking risks and pushing personal limits. This philosophy frequently clashes with the more cautious, sweet approach of Shokupanman, leading to bickering between the two, although they remain close allies. Beneath his brash and sometimes insensitive exterior, however, he is kind and generous, particularly when it comes to feeding people his delicious curry. He dislikes sweet foods and has a short-tempered, hot-blooded nature, yet can also be quite sentimental.

Currypanman's primary motivations involve helping those in need and fighting evil. As a trustworthy companion to Anpanman, he plays a key role in the core trio of heroes. He is especially driven to use his curry to feed the hungry and to defeat villains. His role in the story is consistently that of a dependable strongman and ally, providing both culinary comfort and physical power in battle.

His key relationships are defined by his fellow heroes. He has a close, if argumentative, bond with Shokupanman, with their dynamic often being a source of comic relief. He functions effectively alongside Anpanman and other allies like Melonpanna, frequently participating in combination attacks such as the Double Punch or Triple Punch. Certain sources indicate he views Uncle Jam and Batako (Butterko) as parental figures and considers characters like Melonpanna and Rollpanna as siblings. In at least one story, he is noted to have reciprocal romantic feelings for Cream Princess.

Currypanman possesses several notable abilities that stem directly from his curry-bread composition. His signature physical attacks are the Curry-punch and Curry-kick, which are similar to those of Anpanman and Shokupanman, though he tends to wind up his arm with a distinctive spin before punching. His most unique offensive and practical power is his Curry Spit, where he expels hot, spicy curry from his mouth. This serves the dual purpose of blinding opponents in battle and feeding hungry people. However, using this ability too much causes his head to shrink, which weakens him until he can replenish his supply of curry. He often carries a cooking pot filled with curry while flying, and in some western-themed episodes, he uses dual pistols that he loads with his curry to shoot at enemies.

The character also exhibits specific transformations based on the type of curry he consumes. When injected with extremely spicy curry by the villain Baikinman, he enters a Fiery Currypanman state, becoming an uncontrollable berserker who attacks indiscriminately. Consuming a special potent curry transforms him into Spicy Currypanman, which enhances his heat-based powers to counter blizzards. Conversely, eating mint-infused curry creates a Refreshed Currypanman, who becomes unusually polite and level-headed, adopting a demeanor similar to Shokupanman. These transformations highlight how his physical state and personality are directly linked to the composition of his curry filling.