The RA8835A is a controller IC that can display text and graphics on LCD panel. It can display layered text and graphics, scroll the display in any direction and partition the display into multiple screens. It also stores text, character codes and bitmapped graphics data in external frame buffer memory. Display controller functions include transferring data from the controlling microprocessor to the buffer memory, reading memory data, converting data to display pixels and generating timing signals for the buffer memory, LCD panel.

The RA8835A has an internal character generator with 160, 5 X 7 pixel characters in internal mask ROM. The character generators support up to 64, 8 X 16 pixel characters in external character generator RAM and up to 256, 8 X 16 pixel characters in external character generator ROM.